


Go the Distance

by Frequently_Humming



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hercules (1997) Fusion, Best Friends, Falling In Love, Finn is Hercules, Gen, Greek Mythology - Freeform, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Saving the World
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-02 14:05:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12728007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frequently_Humming/pseuds/Frequently_Humming
Summary: "Let me get this straight," Bastian said slowly, crossing his legs under his blanket.  "You think you might be the son of a god-,""The seer said-,""-and you have to travel across all of Greece and become a hero so you can return to Mount Olympus," Bastian finished, voice lilting up in question."Well, when you say it like," Finn grumbled, drumming his fingers against his knees, "it sounds a bit-,""When do we start?"





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like it's been a while since I've written a good, old-fashioned fairy tale. 'Hercules' counts as a fairy tale, right? ;)
> 
> I hope you enjoy because I can't stop smiling when I'm writing this :)

Thebes was burning as the sun rose, but the thunder and rolling sounds of destruction had ceased for the first time in hours and, tentatively, residents began to emerge.  Creeping slowly, the crowd grew as everyone made their way to the square, eyes roaming over the demolished and charred ruins.

 

From all corners, the citizens of Thebes converged.  The three men standing in the center, among collapsed stalls and debris, exchanged nervous looks.  The shortest one elbowed the one closest to him lightly in his toned abdomen.

 

“Just like old times, huh, Finn,” the shortest one asked, jokingly but with a hint of nerves in his voice.  The third man, leaning heavily against Finn, shook his head, huffing out an exasperated but amused laugh.

 

“You two must have some crazy stories.”

 

“I don’t know,” Finn drawled, smirking as he hefted the curly-haired man back to his feet and then reaching out and rubbing his hand against his short friend’s hair.  “Bastian, would you say we have a story or two?”

 

Bastian grinned up at Finn before throwing his arms around Finn’s waist.  “Maybe three, if I really think about it.”

 

“Should we tell Poe,” Finn asked in mock seriousness, and Bastian turned his gaze on the third man, eyes narrowed playfully, and Poe cracked a tired smile, reaching out and knocking his knuckles gently under Bastian’s chin.

 

“Only if he’s really nice,” Bastian told Finn, who threw back his head with a booming laugh while Poe rolled his eyes.

 

“I guess that’s a ‘no,’ huh?”

 

“Don’t pout,” Finn teased easily, adjusting his grip around Poe’s waist again to pull him up again from where he had been slowly sliding down Finn’s side.  “Bastian has the pouting position covered.”

 

“Don’t I know it,” came a deep rumbling voice, and Bastian barely jumped as two hands materialized out of thin air and landed with a heavy hold on his narrow shoulders.  Poe’s eyes grew as a man’s form shimmered into existence behind Bastian, dressed in brown leather and draped white fabric, light blonde hair falling softly around his shoulders, and a warm smile trained on Bastian’s face as the short man tilted his head backwards to look up at him.  “Olympus is in uproar.  I hear you have had quite the evening, kindling.”

 

“It was the usual end-of-the-world, save-the-day kind of night,” Bastian replied flippantly with a shrug.

 

“I’m sorry,” Poe interjected, frowning bemused at the newest addition to their small group.  “Who is this guy and why can he--,”

 

“That’s Iolo,” Finn cut in easily as Bastian released his friend to embrace Iolo, who hummed pleased.  “Remember, I told you about the Cetus--,”

 

“—when you were on Ithaca,” Poe finished, uncertainly.  “But he’s not a--,”

 

“No,” Finn agreed.  “He’s more of a--,”

 

“Wait wait wait!  Hold everything!”

 

Finn and Bastian groaned as Iolo chuckled and Poe flinched back as a woman pushed her way to the front of the crowd and marched angrily over to the group of four.  “Gods and goddesses,” Poe breathed as the woman in a long red toga stopped in front of them, hands on her hips.

 

“You can’t start the story here,” she snapped, brown eyes narrowed in a glare.  “It makes no sense!”

 

“What are you talking about,” Bastian blinked.  “We did it.  We won, Rey.”

 

“But they don’t understand what’s going on,” Rey announced, pointing her finger behind her in the vague direction of an overturned barrel of grapes.  Finn, Bastian, and Poe tilted their heads to the right in unison, but Iolo just rolled his eyes.

 

“Seers,” Iolo mumbled under his breath before asking louder, “Where would you like us to start, Rey?”

 

“At the very beginning.  Back when the world was new,” the seer replied, voice pitched low with mystery.

 

“Very well,” Iolo said, shrugging lightly and taking a step away from Bastian.  “I will see you soon, kindling,” he told Bastian as Rey moved to stand next to him.  “Try to stay safe, won’t you?”

 

“I’ll watch him,” Finn answered, slapping a hand against Bastian’s chest, causing his friend to buckle away, coughing.

 

“And I’ll watch _him_ ,” Bastian panted in retaliation, rubbing his palm against his chest and sticking out his tongue.

 

Iolo nodded seriously before twisting his fingers through the air, strands of soft gold light collecting in his hands.  Then he snapped his fingers and he and Rey faded away, leaving the three men standing in the destroyed market square with the citizens of Thebes watching them cautiously.

 

“Does that happen a lot,” Poe asked, breaking the silence, and Finn and Bastian sighed.

 

“They always disappear when it’s time to clean up,” Bastian answered honestly, kneeling down to tighten the laces of his sandals.  “Right, I’ll start in the south, Finn starts in the north, and we’ll meet in the middle.”

 

“Give me a shout if you need help with the heavy lifting,” Finn prodded, smiling widely as Bastian stuck out his tongue at him again.

 

“That joke wasn’t funny when we were five and it’s not funny now,” Bastian said primly before turning to the crowd and cupping his hands over his mouth.  “Alright, you know the drill,” he shouted.  “If you live south of the acropolis, follow me!”

 

“Honestly though,” Poe asked as Bastian led off half the crowd with ease, “do you do this a lot?”

 

Finn tilted his head left and right, thinking it over.  “I’d say about once a month, if you don’t count the lord of the underworld part.”

 

“Poor Thebes,” Poe mentioned.

 

“Yeah, we should probably think about moving,” Finn nodded, eyes squinting as the sun began poking over the tops of the hills surrounding the city.

 

“Are those other two coming back?”

 

“Definitely.  Once Rey has sorted out whatever her vision showed her,” Finn shrugged.  “Iolo never leaves Bastian for long and Rey won’t miss the opportunity to say ‘I told you so.’”

 

Poe hummed at that before gathering his strength and planting his feet, leaning away from Finn with a sway.  “So…north?”

 

“North,” Finn agreed, circling his hand above his head and then pointing towards the harbor.  Slowly the crowd began to disperse, muttering amongst themselves.  Finn began to follow before glancing over at the other man, who had fallen in step next to him.  “You should probably rest,” he censored, frowning.

 

“No, I want to help,” Poe said firmly.  “It’s all sort of my fault anyway.”

 

“It’s not, but I’m not having this argument for the third time since the River Styx,” Finn countered, marching a bit faster, Poe jogging to catch up.

 

“But--,”

 

“Forget it, Poe.”

 

“I’m just saying--,”

 

“Be quiet, Poe.”

 

“I shouldn’t have--,”

 

“I will tell Bastian that you don’t like honey cakes,” Finn threatened.

 

“…I’ll just shut up now,” Poe conceded.       


	2. No Hero Accepted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early update because I don't know how crazy this week is going be, so enjoy! :)
> 
> Fun Note: the chapter title is a paraphrased quote: No prophet is accepted in his home town.

** _Twelve Years Earlier_ **

 

“Back when the world was created, titans ruled the earth.  They were giant forces of destruction, bringing earthquakes and wind storms and deep freezes wherever they went.  No life on earth could survive.  And then came Zeus, the strongest of the gods.  He vanquished them in battle and imprisoned them deep beneath the sea, so they could never escape.”

 

“Why didn’t Zeus kill them?”

 

Luke chuckled, shifting his weight as he knelt beside his son’s bed.  “Well, firstly, a true hero knows that killing, like fighting, is always the last resort.”

 

“Right,” came the childish reply from under the bed.

 

“Secondly,” Luke continued easily, “the titans are immortal, like the gods on Mount Olympus.  They can be trapped and contained, but never killed.”

 

“But Zeus beat them?  Because he was the strongest,” the child under the bed pressed.

 

“His strength helped him, but he also believed in himself and worked hard,” Luke stated, smiling to himself as the child heaved a sigh.

 

“But Zeus is a god.  He’s supposed to be strong—no one calls him a ‘freak’ or a ‘weirdo’ when he lifts a house,” the child grumbled.

 

“Well, we don’t know that.  What if Hades spent so much time teasing Zeus that he was banished to rule the underworld?”

 

“Really,” the child asked with a hint of hope and excitement, his small face finally peeking into the narrow slant of light cast by the candle beside Luke.

 

“Who knows?  Do you want to know something that I’m certain of,” Luke asked with a smile.  He saw his son nod quickly and continued, “I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you are meant for greatness, that the gods would not have blessed you with your strength otherwise, Finn.”

 

“It doesn’t feel like much of a blessing,” Finn pointed out, cushioning his baby-fat cheek against his small fist.

 

“Someday it will.  Someday it will all make sense,” Luke promised uncomfortably, looking down at his lap as he twisted his fingers into the course linen of his chiton.

 

Finn grimaced, not particularly pleased with that answer, and drummed his toes against the floor.  “I guess,” he conceded after deliberation, and Luke exhaled in relief.

 

“That’s right.  And until then, you must remember your strength is a gift, meant to help others.”

 

“I know, I know,” Finn drawled, rolling his eyes at the repeated refrain of his father.

 

“Do you think you could come out now?  My knees aren’t what they used to be,” Luke joked lightly before leaning back as the six-year-old pressed one of his hands against the low bedframe and push it into the air, lifting it as if it were a feather.  Finn scooted his way out before placing the bed back on the ground with a gently thud.  “Thank you, son.  It’s late now.  I think we should sleep; we have a busy day tomorrow.”

 

“Alright,” Finn agreed blandly before standing along with his father and wrapping his arms around Luke’s waist, careful not to squeeze too hard.  “Good night, Dad.  I love you.”

 

“I love you more, Finn,” Luke replied softly, embracing his son as tightly as he could, pressing a kiss to the child’s hair.  As they slowly pulled apart, Luke patted Finn on the shoulder, saying, “Be back by dawn.  Leia worries.”

 

Finn beamed up at his father.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

“Of course you don’t,” Luke said casually, picking up his candle.  “Sweet dreams, son.”

 

“You too,” Finn called softly, waiting until Luke left his small room and the candle light extinguished before walking to his window, tossing open the shutters, and jumping out.  The warm breeze whistled gently around him, causing him to shiver a little as he took off across the wheat field that ran along the side of the path to town.  Grinning widely, Finn put his head down and let himself go, running as fast as he could without any fear of hitting another person or animal or tree.  In less than two minutes, he reached the edge of Pella’s walls, two miles from his home, and slowed to a creep as he approached the watch tower to the left of the gate, closed for the night.  Stooping, Finn scooped up a handful of pebbles and then cautiously tossed one up to the shutters about seven feet about his head.

 

Three pebbles later, the shutters parted, and a head popped out into the night air.  Rubbing a tiny fist against his eyes, the boy waved down at Finn and then held up one finger before disappearing into his room.  Finn waited a moment, dropping his remaining ammunition back to the ground, looking up as the boy returned, this time with a himation draped over his left arm.  “Ready,” he asked in a loud whisper.

 

Finn nodded, stepping closer and holding out his arms.  “Jump,” he hissed back, and his friend didn’t hesitate before throwing himself out the window, twisting in the air to land sideways in Finn’s arms, legs over one arm, back braced against the other.  The two giggled quietly together as Finn set the smaller boy on his feet.  They linked hands with ease and Finn let Bastian set the pace as they took off towards the hills, Bastian’s feet pounding while Finn strolled.

 

“Were they making fun of you again,” Bastian asked, swinging his legs back and forth as Finn placed him on the branch of an apple tree before pushing himself up next to him.  Finn shrugged uncomfortably, picking at the bark as his friend sighed.  “I’d make them stop,” he said fiercely, “if you’d let me.”

 

“I know,” Finn nodded, smiling kindly.  “But fighting isn’t the answer.  Heroes only fight--,”

 

“—as a last resort,” Bastian finished, sounding bored.  “That’s what you always say, Finn!”

 

“Because it’s true!”

 

“But I’m no hero,” Bastian shrugged.  “Maybe you can’t fight them, but I can.  For you.”

 

“Of course you’re a hero,” Finn countered firmly, flicking his friend’s ear with just his fingertip, remembering the last time he’d done that action and had sent Bastian flying across the field.  “Anyone can be a hero.”

 

Bastian shook his head fervently.  “No, _you’re_ the hero, and anyone who doesn’t see that is an idiot and someday you’ll show everyone in this stupid town.  And I’ll be right next to you when you do, punching anyone who says otherwise.”

 

Finn threw back his head, laughing hard, and Bastian grinned widely in victory.  Finn wrapped his arms around his torso, catching his breath as a few tears of laughter leaked out of the corners of his eyes, and Bastian carefully got his feet under him and stood, arms flung wide, and began inching his way along the branch.  “Careful,” Finn warned, keeping still to not shake the branch.

 

“ ‘Careful’ he says,” Bastian teased, eyes trained in front of him.  “The guy who broke up a bull fight with his bare hands tells me to be careful.”

 

“Well,” Finn began, watching as his friend pivoted on one foot, swaying slightly before finding his balance and starting back towards his friend, “it wasn’t a _bad_ bull fight.”

 

“Sure,” Bastian drew out teasingly before his left foot slid off the branch and he tumbled.  Finn sprang from his spot, seeing the smaller boy fall almost in slow motion, catching Bastian against his chest in midair and hitting the ground with a resounding thump, Bastian’s weight over him barely noticeable.  “Thank you,” Bastian chimed, sitting up on Finn’s stomach and patting his cheek amicably.

 

Finn giggled, rolling Bastian off him until they laid side-by-side, looking up at the stars.  “That’s what I’m here for, to keep you from breaking your neck,” he joked easily, folding one arm behind his head and resting his other hand over his bellybutton.  Bastian shifted until the two were pressed side to side, and the pair breathed into the night, eyes scanning the heavens.  “Bastian, do you really think I could be a hero someday?”

 

“Don’t be stupid,” Bastian rolled his eyes.  “You were born a hero.”

 

** _Ten Years Later_ **

 

“Finn!  Finn, slow down,” Luke shouted over the air rushing by him, one hand clamped to his perch on the cart, the other holding onto his hat.  Finn let out a hoot of laughter, picking up his pace, and Luke squeezed his eyes shut in trepidation as the walls of Pella appeared over the hills.  “Zeus preserve us,” he breathed, wincing in anticipation.

 

At the sight of the fast-moving cart, clouds of dust billowing in its wake, the watchman in the tower grimaced before rushing to raise the alarm.  “Clear out,” he shouted.  “Finn incoming!”

 

Instantly the streets cleared, people crowding into stalls or sheltering in doorways as the clatter of the cart’s wheels were heard like rolling thunder.  The watchman nodded, satisfied, at the empty streets except for one figure waiting eagerly just inside the gate.  The watchman turned his attention back to approaching cart, piled high with bundles of wheat and straw and pulled easily by a gangly teen, starting to slow in speed as it came closer to the walls.

 

“Get ready,” Finn called happily, slowing his pace down.  Bastian held up his thumb in response before taking off, running full tilt at the incoming cart.  The shorter teen leapt into the air, arms and legs spread wide, and latched onto Finn with a high-pitched laugh, even as it felt like he’d just hit a stone wall.  Finn cheered as Bastian climbed around his friend, grabbing onto one of the cart’s bars, and slowly crawling along it to seat to join Luke.

 

“Hello, sir,” Bastian shouted as he settled down and Finn slowed down as they entered the town.

 

“Bastian,” Luke replied tightly, cracking open an eye.  “You know I don’t like when you do that,” he censored.

 

The slight teen shrugged unconcerned.  “But it’s fun!”

 

“Yes,” Luke drawled, unamused, “ _fun_.”

 

“Here we are,” Finn announced cheerfully, digging in his heels and skidding to a halt in front of the granary in the center of town.  Bastian and Luke leaned back to keep from flying off the seat, Luke exhaling in relief and Bastian cheering in excitement.  “Did we lose anyone?”

 

“Very nearly,” Luke mumbled under his breath, sliding off the cart’s seat to stand unsteadily on firm ground.

 

“That was the best one yet,” Bastian grinned, jumping down as Finn set the bars gently on the ground.  “Sir, do you want us to bring these in for you,” he asked, moving to grab at one of the bails of wheat.  Finn grabbed the smallest bail, passing it over to his friend before picking the rest up over his head with one hand.

 

“No,” Luke said quickly, holding up his hands.  “No, no, that’s fine for now.  Just--,”

 

“Stay by the cart,” Finn and Bastian recited flatly, Finn dropping the load back into the cart with a sigh.

 

“Thank you,” Luke smiled relieved, adjusting his hat before heading inside the granary.  Bastian set his bail of wheat on the ground and sat on it, his elbows braced against his bent knees, breathing out slowly with exasperation.

 

“Are you done with the harvest yet,” he asked Finn hopefully as his friend crossed his arms, leaning against the body of the cart lightly.

 

“Yep, this is the last.”

 

“Finally!  It’s so boring here when you’re out in the fields all day.”

 

“I think everyone else calls that ‘peaceful,’” Finn countered casually, although there was a hint of hurt in his tone as he watched the other residents of the town emerge cautiously, watching the pair with unmasked suspicion.

 

“What do they know?  As if you haven’t helped every single one of them at some point,” Bastian grumbled, meeting the looks of distrust with one of his own.  Finn spotted that, smirking as he gently nudged his friend’s ribs with the toe of his sandal.

 

“Stop it.  You’re not helping our case.”

 

Bastian shrugged but ducked his head, tracing out a random pattern in the dirt with nimble fingers.  “Whatever.  I just wish--,”

 

“Well, well, well,” came a nasally voice.  “If it isn’t the freak and his little sidekick.”

 

“Shut up, Thetas,” Bastian replied blandly, glancing up at the group of four teens standing just out of lunging range around the pair.  “Nobody cares what you say.”

 

“Aw, the little mouse speaking for the coward,” Thetas cooed mockingly, smiling nastily, as his friends cackled.  “Like always.”

 

“He’s not a coward,” Bastian snapped, getting to his feet, fists clenched at his sides.  “He’s just too good to waste his energy on you.”

 

“What’s the matter, Finnie,” Thetas taunted, not paying any attention to the shorter, fuming teen.  “Too scared to fight your own battles?”

 

Finn glanced towards the granary, assuring himself that his father was still inside, before turning back to the group that had slowly surrounded them.  “This isn’t a battle,” Finn commented, noticing Zeros inching closer out of the corner of his eye.  “Don’t--,” he began, but it was too late.

 

Bastian cried out, stumbling back with a hand pressed to his eye from Zeros’ surprise attack.  Finn reached for his friend, but Bastian dodged around his arm and jumped at Zeros, fists flying, and the others piled on, save for Thetas who smirked smugly.

 

“You’re pathetic,” Thetas drawled as Finn wavered, uncertainly just at the edge of the fighting tangle.  “Letting your little friend defend you because you’re too scared--,”

 

“Shut up,” Finn growled, shooting a glare at the provoking teenager.

 

“Too scared to fight back,” Thetas finished cruelly as Bastian let out a small whimper from the bottom of the fighting pile of bodies.  Finn ground his teeth before stepping forward, grabbing one of Thetas’ cronies by the back of his chiton and tossing him carefully away, making sure he landed softly on his butt before doing the same to the second crony.  Zeros was flung more forcefully, taking down Thetas with him as he fell, and Finn scooped up Bastian easily, throwing him up into the bails, out of the way.  Zeros scrambled to his feet and charged, but Finn pushed him back with the heel of his palm, sending the assailant flying backwards into a closed stall ten feet away.

 

“Finn,” came Luke’s disappointed voice, and Finn winced, quickly dropping his arm as his father marched over to him.  “Finn, what have I told you a thousand times--,”

 

“He’s a menace,” shouted one of the village weavers (the one Finn had helped wind thread last winter) from the crowd that had gathered at the ruckus.

 

“It’s not safe to have him in town,” roared a shepherd (the one who’s lost lamb Finn had tracked down after a week of searching three years ago).

 

“Look what he did to Zeros,” Thetas cried dramatically from where he stayed laid on the ground.

 

Finn clenched his teeth, folding in on himself as Luke took a step forward.  “He’s only a boy,” his father soothed.  “He doesn’t mean any harm.”

 

“Take your money and leave,” the keeper of the granary ordered.  “You can place your delivery another day, _without_ that—freak.”

 

Finn opened his mouth, but Luke shook his head once.  “Let’s go home, Finn,” his father said softly, squeezing Finn’s shoulder as he moved to climb back into the cart seat.  Finn shot another glare at Thetas’ gleeful leer before rolling his shoulders back and going to pick up the cart bars, taking measured, slow, calm steps as he pulled the cart through town, the crowd scampering to hide again until the cart had passed through the gates.

 

Groaning, Bastian heaved himself across the tall bails, easing himself down to sit next to a surprised Luke.  “What in the name of Hera happened to you,” Luke gaped, taking in Bastian’s bruised and scratched face.

 

“Nothing,” Bastian shrugged, wincing at the tender pull on his injured right shoulder.

 

“The same thing that always happens to him, Dad,” Finn said at the same time, voice restrained.  “They beat him up because they know I won’t fight back.”

 

“Fighting is always--,”

 

“ _I know_ ,” Finn snapped, irritated.  “The last resort, I know!  No one else thinks that, Dad!  No one stops Thetas and Zeros from attacking someone half their size--,”

 

“Hey,” Bastian interrupted, wiping away the trickle of blood from his nose.  “I’m not that little!”

 

“No one cares when Bastian’s the one getting hurt,” Finn continued, grip tightening on the wooden bars until they began to crack under his fingers.  “No one thinks fighting is the _last resort_ when they’re provoking me.”

 

“I don’t care about what anyone else thinks, Finn,” Luke cut in firmly as he used the corner of his himation to pat the scrap across Bastian’s left eyebrow.  “I care about you, and you are better than that.”

 

“Why,” Finn demanded, glaring straight ahead.  “Why do I have to be better?!  Why can’t I be like everyone else?”

 

“You were born to be more,” Luke insisted, but Finn just growled low in his throat.

 

“You’ve been saying that all my life,” Finn scowled.  “I don’t think I believe you anymore, Dad, because if I’m meant to be more than why do I always end up feeling like I’m less?”

 

“Finn,” Luke sighed with sadness, but Finn shook his head.

 

“Just leave me alone, Dad.”

 

Luke winced, sitting back and pinching the bridge of his nose in exhaustion.  Bastian glanced between the two of them, frowning, before gingerly reaching for one of the bars, wrapping his hands and knees around it as he inched his way to his friend.  Carefully, he slung his arms around Finn’s neck, his legs around Finn’s waist, and buried his face into the back of his friend’s right shoulder.  “Thank you,” he whispered into Finn’s skin.

 

“Any time,” Finn murmured back, nosing at Bastian’s wrist in reassurance.

 

“You know, you’re already a hero to me,” Bastian mumbled, resting his chin on Finn’s shoulder.  Finn’s lips twitched up at that.

 

“Yeah, but you’re crazy.”

 

“Not that crazy,” Bastian replied, wrists aching and ribs straining, but he held on anyway, not releasing his hold until Finn stopped in front of his home.

 

*****

 

Finn trudged back to his home after returning Bastian to his room in the watchtower (“I could stay the night—they won’t even notice if I’m not there”), still in a sour mood despite his friend’s best efforts.  Bastian meant well, but he didn’t understand, and Finn couldn’t explain the feeling in his heart that something was missing.  How can he miss something and not know what it was?  It was like he’d forgotten something he ought to know.  He shook his head, trying to clear his mind from the dense, depressing fog that had clung to him since that morning, reaching for the door but pausing at the sound of voices inside.

 

“—too young, Luke,” drifted Leia’s voice, and Finn leaned his ear against the wood of the door, straining to hear more.

 

“I think it’s time he knew,” came Luke’s voice, sounding resigned and tired.  “He’s old enough to make his own decisions.”

 

“But we don’t know what it means,” Leia hissed.  “What if--,”

 

“We could do this until our faces are blue,” Luke cut in.  “We can’t hide this from him forever.  Sooner or later something will happen, and he needs to be prepared.  Finn, you can come inside, son.”

 

Finn jerked back, eyes wide, wondering how his father always knew.  Unabashed, he pushed open the door, looking quickly between his dad and his aunt as he closed the door behind him and leaned his back against it without placing much weight on it.  He didn’t want to break it for the third time that year.  “Well, what aren’t you telling me,” he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

 

Leia shot a look at her brother, who merely nodded slowly in response.  Leia heaved a sigh, getting to her feet.  “On your head be it, brother,” she warned before crossing the small room to Finn.  She smiled sadly, reaching up to cup his cheek.  “May the gods and goddesses bless you.”

 

Finn frowned, bemused, even as he ducked his head to let his aunt press a soft kiss to his forehead.  Glancing over her shoulder one more time, Leia and Luke seemed to have some kind of silent conversation, one that Finn couldn’t follow, before Leia slipped out of the house, leaving the father and son alone.  “Dad, what’s going on?”

 

“Why don’t you sit with me,” Luke suggested, fiddling with a parcel in his lap as Finn approached the table, easing himself into Leia’s abandoned seat.  Finn drummed his fingers against his thighs, waiting, while Luke chewed on the inside of his cheek.

 

“Dad,” Finn started, annoyed, but Luke thrust a cloth-wrapped bundle across the table, dropping it with a slight thud against the wood.  Finn, not expecting much, quickly untied the linen, unfolding the corners quickly and blinking down at the glistening revealed object.  Carefully, he lifted the weighty gold medallion, embossed with a bolt of lightning, running his thumb along the indented border.  “What is this, Dad?”

 

“That is the mark of Zeus,” Luke answered softly, swallowing drily.

 

Finn turned the medal over, squinting down at the chiseled words ‘Glorious Gift.’  “But why do you have it?”

 

“It’s yours,” Luke breathed, Finn’s head snapping up in shock.  “You were wearing it when…I found you.”

 

“ _Found me_ ,” Finn repeated, eyes narrowing.  “Found me when?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're off!  
> Thank you so much for a great positive reaction for the teaser chapter! I was a bit nervous about it because it wasn't my usual story-telling format, but you readers pulled through! Thank you so much for the amazing comments and kudos!! You are all absolutely spectacular!
> 
> Proof that I'm enjoying writing this: Theta=the ninth letter in the Greek alphabet, thus Thetas is Nines ^.^


	3. What the Seer Doesn't Say

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is ready for a good old-fashioned prophecy? :D

Finn hesitated at the mouth of a wide cavernous cave.  This was the sixth cave he’d tried since he’d left home in search of the once Luke called the Scarlet Seer.  From the stories he’d head, Finn wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to find this seer—no good ever came from asking about the future.  But he wasn’t—the future didn’t really matter to him; it was the past he had questions about.  Reminding himself of that, attempting to convince himself for the sixth time since he’d began the quest two days earlier, Finn braced himself, pressed a hand against the medallion hidden under his chiton, and inched his way into the darkness, keeping close to the stone.

 

“It’s about time you showed up.”

 

Finn jumped about five feet in the air, pressing himself flat against the tall, curved wall of the cave, eyes darting around in the darkness, looking for the source of the voice.

 

“Right here,” came the voice, suddenly beside Finn, who flinched away, hands coming up in surrender at the thin, cloaked figure.

 

“Zeus and Hera,” he breathed out.

 

“Yes, exactly,” the figure agreed, seeming to nod as Finn’s eyes adjusted to the lack of light.  “Follow me.  We need to be quick.”

 

“Uh,” Finn began, a thin but firm hand grabbing his own and tugging him along, deeper into the recesses of the cave.  “Are you the Scarlet--,”

 

“Obviously,” the stranger replied curtly.  “And you are Finn, the Glorious Gift, the strength of the gods.”

 

“Uh, what was the second part of that again?”

 

“Take a seat,” she ordered, abruptly releasing Finn’s hand as a large fire burst to life in front of them.  Finn gasped, taking a stumbling step back, a ledge of stone catching him behind his knee and he sat down suddenly.  “Good,” the seer praised, flicking back the hood of her red cloak, revealing a sharp-faced woman, hair pulled back in three buns.

 

“How old are you,” Finn blurted out, instantly grimacing at the unamused look the seer shot his way.  “Sorry, I—I guess I was expecting someone, um.”

 

“Old and withered,” the seer finished, rolling her eyes.  “I hear that a lot.  We come in all shapes and sizes.  Call me Rey.  You have questions.”

 

“Yes, I,” Finn began as Rey turned her back on him and walked around the blazing fire.  “Uh, my father—well, I guess he’s not really my father, but that’s—something else.  Anyway, he sent me here, for answers…about who I am.”

 

“They always want to know who they are,” Rey mumbled to herself, picking up her bag and circling back to the confused truth-seeker.  “You are the Glorious Gift,” she stated, dropping her bag at Finn’s feet.

 

“That’s what the medallion says,” Finn replied, drawing it out from under his chiton.  Rey held out her hand expectantly, and Finn hesitantly pulled the red ribbon from around his neck, placing the medallion in Rey’s outstretched hand.  Rey nodded before carelessly tossing it over her shoulder, into the fire.  “Hades curse it,” Finn snapped, lunging to save it, but he tripped over Rey’s bag and tumbled to his knees.

 

“Watch,” Rey ordered, pointing at the fire as the flames slowly transformed from tongues of orange and yellow to blue and green.  Finn blinked as shaped began to appear in the flames, images murky like reflections in a babbling brook.  “You were born on Olympus, a glorious gift to Zeus and Hera,” Rey continued, pointing as towering shadows of a man and woman appeared.  “All the gods rejoiced, for you had the strength of your father and the cunning of your mother.”

 

“The strength of Zeus,” Finn repeated, staring at the shadows, trying to make out some feature, some hint of recognition.

 

“But from your earliest moments, you were cursed with a prophecy,” Rey said, reaching a hand into the flames and swirling the tongues around her fingers, the shadows of Finn’s birth parents disappearing, replaced by eyes of anger and hate, more than Finn could count.  “With the son of Zeus comes the rise of the titans, destined to be released upon the earth in the second great destruction.”

 

“I—I thought the titans were a children’s story,” Finn breathed, unable to look away from piercing, glaring eyes.

 

“Oh no,” Rey shook her head, frowning tightly.  “They are very real, and very angry.  The prophecy states the son of Zeus will walk amongst mortals, only to return to Olympus when a true hero he is.”

 

“Return—I can go back,” Finn asked, breathless, as the eyes in the flames merged to become the foot of a wide mountain.  He looked at Rey, chest clenched with hope, but the tight look of dismay pulled him up short.  “I can go back—but the titans will rise?”

 

“That is yet shrouded in the mists,” Rey answered vaguely.  “What is certain is the prophecy scared your parents, and they did their best to hide you from your fate.  They sent you to live with Poseidon, in the hopes that deep under the seas you would never encounter mortals.”

 

“But Dad—Luke—he found me in the hills,” Finn muttered, brow furrowed.  “How did I get there?”

 

“Someone took you, stole you away in the night.  You were left to die, but Luke saved you,” Rey continued, swirling her finger again, the flames dancing around her palm as the shadow of a cobra appeared, rising high above their heads in the flames.  The cobra’s hood widened, as if about to attack, when a blade of bright green fire sliced through the image, severing the head from the coiled body.  Finn’s jaw dropped as the cobra faded away.  “The gods searched for you, but it was too late.  You had been taken in by Luke, and could no longer return to Olympus, for no being claimed by mortals can walk amongst the gods.  Unless--,”

 

“Unless they be a true hero,” Finn recited, Luke’s voice echoing in his mind, saying those very words in comfort while Finn hid under his bed, away from a world that didn’t understand.  “That’s what he meant, all those times,” he mumbled to himself.  “Ever since I was child…”

 

“Luke perceived more than he could understand,” Rey said, bending down and retrieving the medallion, unscathed, from the fire.  She handed it back to Finn, and he wasn’t surprised to find it cool to the touch.  “He kept you safe, instilling in you lessons which will serve you well in your quest.”

 

Finn felt his eyes prick, quickly dragging his fist across them to keep the tears at bay.  “But what about the titans?  I don’t want to bring them back.  How can I--,”

 

“There’s no telling.  When I look further, the vision is—interrupted.  As if blocked by a wall,” Rey admitted, almost begrudgingly.  “I see the potential for greatness in you, the likes of which have not been seen in eons.  But not alone.  You will have assistance in your adventures.”

 

“But the titans—what Zeus was afraid of,” Finn pressed urgently, getting to his feet.  “How do I stop that?”

 

Rey tilted her head, eyes going glassy, staring deep into the diminishing flames.  “What has begun cannot be stopped.  Pieces are in motion.  Be not afraid of the course ahead.”

 

Finn waited, but the seer fell silent.  “That’s it?  I just forget that I’m prophesized to bring the titans—the forces of destruction—back?”

 

Rey stayed motionless for a long beat before her hand snapped out, smacking Finn soundly across the cheek.  It didn’t hurt, but the suddenness was enough to send Finn stumbling backwards.  “You will not lose focus.  You can’t _see_.  There will come a time, soon, when the world will need a true hero.  Will you be ready?”

 

Finn scowled, not appreciating the non-sequiturs and half-answers he was receiving.  “A true hero, huh?  Defeat the monsters, save the damsels in distress, help others…sound about right?”

 

“You know in your heart what you need to do,” Rey nodded, cracking a small smile that looked almost out of place on her face.  “Luke taught you well.”

 

“Okay,” Finn exhaled heavily.  “I can do that.  Um, well,” he added, shifting his weight awkwardly, “thank you.  For—telling me _some_ stuff, I guess.”

 

“We will meet again,” Rey said with certainty.  “Perhaps too soon for you.”

 

Finn pursed his lips, squinting at the seer.  “That’s…reassuring, I guess.”

 

“Until then, Glorious Gift.”

 

“Yeah, you can just call me ‘Finn,’ you know—in the future,” Finn suggested.

 

“One more thing,” Rey announced, laying her hand on Finn’s wrist softly.  “Beware the one who won’t fall in love.”

 

“Right,” Finn drew out, brow furrowing.  “Do I get any more information, or should I just go around asking everyone I meet?”

 

Rey smirked, tapping the side of her nose.  “You will know.”

 

“I seriously doubt that,” Finn mumbled to himself, glancing around for the exit.  He turned back to ask Rey, but she and her bag were gone.

 

*****

 

“Bas.  Come on, Bas.”

 

“Ten more minutes,” Bastian groaned, rolling away from the hand shaking his shoulder and burying his face in his pillow.

 

“No, Bas, it’s important.”

 

“Don’t wanna,” Bastian groused, covering his head with his arms, trying to bat away the offending appendages.

 

“It’s an emergency.  Two-one-eight-seven.”

 

Bastian’s eyes snapped open, shooting up and banging his forehead against Finn’s chin.  “Ow, holy Hera,” Bastian moaned, flopping back and rubbing the sore spot, feeling the beginnings of a bump.  “Finn?  What are you—how’d you get in here?”

 

“Climbed the tower, broke the shutters—sorry about that,” Finn grimaced, jerking his thumb over his shoulder.  Bastian leaned around his friend, kneeling on his bed, taking in the shattered wood splinters on the floor of his room before shrugging carelessly.

 

“That’s fine.  What happened?  You disappeared for days!  I went to your house and your dad wouldn’t tell me anything,” Bastian complained, a slight pout appearing on his face.  Finn frowned, his heart dropping heavily at the thought he might not see that look again.

 

“It’s—well, it’s a long story and I’m pretty sure you won’t believe it,” Finn started, but Bastian shook his head, scooting back to lean against the headboard of his bed.

 

“Try me.  I believe in everything,” Bastian stated, matter-of-factly, hand still massaging the lump on his forehead.

 

“I know,” Finn smiled softly, rubbing a hand over Bastian’s short-shorn curls.  “That’s one of the best things about you.  Don’t change that, okay?”

 

Bastian’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, eyes trailing down his friend, taking in his thick cloak for travel and the leather pouch on the floor.  “Finn, what are you talking about?”

 

“Look, I—I know it sounds crazy, but I went to a seer.  A real seer—with visions and magic and really cryptic advice,” Finn added mostly to himself, but Bastian snorted in response.

 

“And what did the seer tell you,” the smaller teen prompted, nudging his toe against Finn’s knee.

 

“She—her name is Rey—she said that I’m the son of Zeus,” Finn blurted out in a rush, continuing as Bastian’s jaw dropped, “and there was this prophecy and—well, basically I was kidnapped and left to die but Dad, Luke—he saved me.  But I can’t go back to Olympus because a mortal took me in.  I have to become a true hero and then I can…go home,” he finished lamely, wincing at how crazy that must have sounded.

 

There was a beat of silence and then Bastian let out a soft whistle.  “Wow.  And I thought you just went to sulk.”

 

“Bas,” Finn started but Bastian went on,

 

“So this Rey the Seer says you’re the son of Zeus--,”

 

“I know it sounds insane--,”

 

“—and you have to become a true hero before you can return to Olympus,” Bastian finished, cocking an eyebrow.

 

Finn shrugged and nodded.  “That’s why I have to go.  Heroes don’t stay at home, Bas,” he explained regretfully.

 

“What, so your plan is to travel all of Greece, slaying monsters and having adventures to fulfill your destiny,” Bastian asked casually, curiously.  Finn swallowed tightly, only managing a small nod in response, eyes trained on his lap.  “When do we start?”

 

“What,” Finn gaped, head snapping up as his friend jumped out of bed.  “I don’t—what ‘ _we’_?”

 

“Well, you can’t do all that on your own,” Bastian replied like it was obvious, throwing open the small trunk at the end of his bed and pulling out random items of clothing.  “Finn, what do you know about fighting—you’ve spent your whole life avoiding it.  I can help!”

 

“I don’t need _help_ ,” Finn retorted, standing as Bastian began shoving his clothes into a leather sack.  “Besides, what do you know about fighting—you lost every fight you’ve ever been in!”

 

“Maybe you haven’t noticed,” Bastian shot back primly, straightening and glowering at his friend, “but you’re standing in my room in the guards’ barracks.  I have spent my whole life learning how to defend this town until my dying breath.  Maybe I’m not the strongest person in this room, but I at least know which weapon to use against a hydra or a Gorgon or a centaur.  Do you know how to trap a vengeful nymph?”

 

“No,” Finn blinked, taking a nervous step back from his friend who was radiating annoyance.

 

“Well I do,” Bastian snapped, tossing his packed sack over his shoulder.  “So I’m coming with you, and that’s that, Finn.  You won’t last two seconds against satyr on your own.”  Finn opened his mouth but suddenly all the fight went out of Bastian, his shoulders slumping heavily.  “And you can’t leave me,” he added softly.  “We’re friends.  Friends don’t leave friends.  Especially not heroes.”

 

Finn’s lip twisted, watching as Bastian folded in on himself, hugging his arms around his ribs, not meeting Finn’s gaze.  “Fine,” Finn sighed, grinning as Bastian beamed up at him.  “But you’re not fighting anything, got it?  As soon as we find a monster, you hide.”

 

“Yeah, sure, whatever,” Bastian agreed quickly, and Finn knew he didn’t mean a word of it even as his friend launched himself into Finn’s chest.  “You won’t regret it!  I swear we’re gonna be the greatest team there ever was!”

 

“Of course we are,” Finn allowed, not entirely convinced and trying to ignore the way the knot in his gut eased as Bastian gave him a squeeze before stepping back with a mischievous look.

 

“Time to raid the armory!  Let’s--,”

 

“Nope,” Finn cut in, grabbing a fistful of Bastian’s tunic and pulling him back with enough force that the shorter teen left his feet with a puffed ‘oof.’  “No stealing.  Heroes don’t steal, Bas.”

 

Bastian rolled his eyes, swinging his legs, his toes just grazing the floor as Finn kept a hold on him.  “Alright, fine.  No stealing, no problem.  I’ll just change and grab my gear.  It’s not stealing if it’s mine, right,” Bastian wheedled, smiling up charmingly.

 

Finn frowned, eyes narrowed, turning Bastian to look him in the eye.  Bastian continued to smile, hands clasped behind his back, the picture of innocence, and Finn lowered him back to his feet suspiciously.  “Only your stuff, right, Bas?”

 

“Absolutely.” 

 

“Well, hurry up.  I want to be gone before dawn and—and I still have one stop to make.”

 

“You came to me before your dad,” Bastian asked, eyes wide.  Finn shifted his weight uncomfortably before heading to the window.

 

“Give me a shout when you’re ready.”

 

Bastian watched as Finn swung himself over the window ledge, disappearing quickly as Finn let himself drop.  Instantly, Bastian uncrossed his fingers from behind his back, shaking his head.  “ ‘Heroes don’t steal,’” he muttered to himself in mockery.  “He’ll definitely need me.  Someone has to do the hard work,” he convinced himself, stripping off his sleep tunic, stepping into the chiton he’d laid out before bed, tying his sandals on quickly, and heading for the door.  “How many swords does a hero need,” he mused to himself, cracking the door open to check the coast was clear before slipping out for the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting rolling now!
> 
> Thank you thank you to everyone who left a comment or kudos on the last chapter! You are all marvelous and the encouragement really motivates me, honestly.
> 
> Next chapter: One year later and meeting Iolo :)


	4. Last Hope?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a bit of a delay, it's back!
> 
> Work is rough, and I suggest holding off as long as humanly possible ;)
> 
> But on with the story!

** _One Year Later_ **

 

It really was a lovely view.  Of all the places Bastian had been chained at, this was definitely in the top three.  Clear, cloudless blue skies, the ocean a deep gray this far from shore, with barely any whitecaps.  If it wasn’t for the Cetus lurking just below the surface, circling Bastian’s stone crag for the past hour or so, steadily creeping closer.  Bastian had decided that the Cetus wasn’t hungry yet, and was merely keeping an eye on its next meal until he was ready.  Bastian hoped it would be soon because, as pretty as the view was, he was starting to feel overly hot and a bit dizzy from the uncompromising sun.

 

Closing his eyes, he rested his head against the warm stone column his wrists were chained to.  He should have had a bigger breakfast this morning.  Bastian smiled to himself, remembering how he’d lectured Finn about skipping breakfast before they’d fought that half-giant.  Finn had tried to sneak a snack whilst scaling the half-giant’s back.  That had ended in a giant mess, in all sense of the phrase.

 

There was the sound of rushing water, as if parting before the bow of a ship, and Bastian blinked his eyes open, wide, clenching his jaw as the sea monster rose from the waves.  Large yellow eyes, a long snout with sharp rows of teeth protruding, glistening black and green scales.  Two claws came to grip either side of the crag, and Bastian spared a glance at the four curved talons, flexing in anticipation.

 

“Is it lunch time already,” Bastian asked cheerfully, smiling at the wide face of the Cetus.  “You waited awhile.  You have to be careful—if you eat lunch too late, you won’t have room for dinner.”  The monster drew its head back, preparing to strike, and Bastian twisted his wrists, releasing the shackles which fell to the ground with a clank.  “But maybe you don’t need to worry about dinner,” Bastian added conversationally, hearing motion to his right and smirking.  Right on—

 

“Fear not, mortal,” declared an unfamiliar voice, and suddenly Bastian was caught up between two strong arms and whisked off the crag.  Bastian shouted, closing his eyes against the impact of smacking into the sea, but it never came.  “I will take you to safety.”

 

“What?”  Bastian opened one eye, then the other as his jaw dropped.  He wasn’t hitting the water because he was somehow hovering above it.  “Poseidon preserve me,” he breathed before twisting to squint up at the man whose chest he was pressed against.  The sun light burned his eyes and Bastian hissed, squeezing his eyes shut again, turning his face into the broad chest.  There was a responding rumble of laughter against Bastian’s cheek, and then there was an echoed shout behind the flying pair.  “Finn,” Bastian cried back, banging a fist against his rescuer.  “You have to take me back!”

 

“I beg your pardon,” the stranger drew out, “did you ask to _go back_?”

 

“I didn’t _ask_ for anything,” Bastian snapped, shifting around to try and see over the man’s shoulder, but his misguided savior seemed reluctant to allow it.  “I’m _ordering_ you to take me back right now!  You’re ruining everything!”

 

“I don’t understand,” the flying man began, but Bastian had enough.

 

“You asked for it,” Bastian mumbled and, as Finn called out again, he drove the heel of his hand up into the stranger’s nose with force. 

 

“Zeus on high,” the stranger gasped, grabbing his nose and releasing Bastian, who dove backwards into the water, pressing his hands together as he breached the surface of the sea and began wide strokes back towards the crag.

 

Bastian poked his head above the rolling waves, gasping for air and assessing the situation.  Finn had gone for the Cetus’ head, his usual opening move.  The fact that he was inside the monster’s mouth was an unusual choice, but Bastian was a huge supporter of improvisation.  The monster’s lashing tail was upsetting the current, and Bastian had to dive back under the water to get closer to the Cetus.  As he neared the creature’s body, he drew out his small dagger from his belt, his lungs starting to burn for air.  Ignoring the tightening of his chest, Bastian kicked his way to the front of the thrashing Cetus, vision beginning to blur.  Picking his spot, Bastian swam as close as he dared before driving the dagger into the monster’s stomach, pulling the blade up its belly as he made for the surface.

 

The Cetus bulked away, and Bastian lost his grip.  He instinctively lunged to retrieve it, but his limbs were growing heavy.  Shaking his head, Bastian cut his losses and began frog-kicking his way towards the light.  He thought he was nearly there, nearly out, when the monster’s tail whacked him right in the chest.  Bastian gasped, swallowing salt water before he clamped his lips closed again, trying to push the deadweight that was dragging him down off.

 

“You are quite the spark, aren’t you?”

 

Bastian was positive he was dying as the face of man appeared, glowing before his eyes, bright blue eyes, soft blond hair suspended in the water, and an amused smile curving light mauve lips.  Yep, he was definitely dying, but what a lovely escort to the underworld.

 

“Let’s try this again, and this time you don’t punch me,” the vision said, voice clear in Bastian’s ear despite the ringing.  Bastian’s eyelids drooped against his will, and then there were two hands under his armpits, feeling himself growing lighter.  “Stay with me, kindling.”

 

Bastian barely noticed as they surfaced, needing to be smacked on the back to remember to inhale.

 

“Bas!”

 

“F-Finn,” Bastian coughed, and he felt the grip on him adjust until he pressed against his double rescuer, supported with one arm as they bobbed in the water.  “Where’s F-Finn?”

 

“Oh, is that his name?  Interesting,” came the pleasantly warm voice.  “Should I bring him along?”

 

“Along where,” Bastian asked, getting his arms around the man’s neck, not particularly perturbed as they began to rise out of the water until they levitated just above the waves.  “What in the name of Apollo are you,” Bastian marveled.

 

“Funnily enough, I’m about to ask the two of you the same question,” the stranger replied lightly as frantic splashes caught Bastian’s attention.

 

“Let him go,” Finn shouted, treading water as he tried to find a way to catch the flying kidnapper.

 

“No, I don’t think I will,” the stranger said amicably, seeming to hold Bastian closer, and Finn glowered up.  Why was it that every other creature wanted to take his friend?  He could put Bastian in the middle of an empty field and within minutes, some monster would show up.  It was convenient in a way, because it saved time hunting down monsters or waiting to hear about a menace in the course of their travels.  On the other hand, if Finn woke up one more time with a curious river nymph trying to drag Bastian under by his ankles, he had half a mind to start chaining their wrists together at night.  “But you had better join us, I think,” the stranger added, holding out his free hand, pointing at Finn.  Finn heaved a sigh as he felt a tug around his ribs, stopping his small circular strokes and waiting.  Great.  Another hostage-taking one.  Finn felt the pressure of the creature’s magic take a few practice pulls, as if testing Finn’s weight, and Finn rolled his eyes.

 

“Finn,” Bastian said as his friend was lifted into the air with a bored look on his face, “I don’t think he wants to eat us.”

 

“I promise I don’t,” the stranger chuckled, beginning to drift through the air, away from the faint outline of Ithaca.

 

“We’ve heard that one before,” Finn muttered, but he did catch Bastian’s eye, raising an eyebrow in question.  Bastian nodded back, shrugging as much as he could as he held onto the only thing keeping him from plummeting into the sea.

 

“Do you two make a habit of this,” the stranger asked conversationally.

 

“If I’m not taken once a week, Finn starts getting bored.”

 

“I do not,” Finn snapped back, sticking his tongue out in response to Bastian’s.  “And stop talking to him like we’re friends.”

 

“Or family even,” the stranger mentioned, and Bastian turned wide, hopeful eyes on Finn, who just shook his head resolutely.  “I apologize for taking the long route,” their capturer continued easily, “but I’ve never taken a mortal to my home before.  I am not sure what would happen if I shifted the vapors with you,” he directed to Bastian.

 

“You mean with _us_ ,” Bastian corrected, knowing without looking that Finn tensed worriedly below them.  The stranger trained his bright blue eyes on Bastian, scanning his face.

 

“No.  I meant _you_ ,” he smiled, allowing Bastian a glimpse of white, dull teeth.  Definitely not a man eater, Bastian decided as he tried to pull himself up, to gain more purchase.  “Nearly there now.”

 

“Hypothetically,” Finn said as the shadowy outline of a crop of rock appeared on the horizon, “if you don’t want to eat us--,”

 

“I truly don’t,” the stranger supplied.

 

“—then why did you kidnap us?”

 

“I believe the term is ‘rescue,’ and I _rescued_ you because, for some reason beyond my comprehension, you used your mortal as bait, and then left him to fend for himself alone in the sea.”

 

“Hey,” Bastian bit out, offended, “I’m not _his mortal_.  He doesn’t own me!”

 

“And if you hadn’t flown in like a harpy,” Finn ground out, “he wouldn’t have been in the water in the first place!”

 

“We had a plan,” Bastian added, to make the point clear, as they reached the protrusion of rock in the sea, barely more than a free-standing cliff surrounded by a short line of sandy beach.  Finn hit the sand with a heavy thud as the magical hold on him released without warning.  He pushed himself to his feet, watching as the stranger drifted down, landing lightly on his feet before he gentled Bastian to the ground.  “Yeah, I’m just—gonna sit for a second,” Bastian announced decisively even as chills began to wrack his body.

 

“I’m sorry, Bas,” Finn said sincerely, moving to stand next to his friend as the stranger drew the heavy pin from his cloak, releasing the fabric in a quick motion and instantly draping it around Bastian’s slight shoulders.

 

“It’s fine—did you kill it,” Bastian asked, pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping the surprisingly warm and dry, faintly sea shore-scented cloak around him tighter.

 

“Yeah, we did,” Finn answered, nudging Bastian’s foot slightly with his own.  “I think we need to work on our backup plans.”

 

“Look, I don’t think I can be blamed for not guessing some flying—who are you anyway,” Bastian inquired, squinting up at the man, who was staring out to sea, distracted.

 

“Iolo, Guardian of Ships,” the blonde man replied, gaze dropping to Bastian’s face intently.

 

“I wasn’t in a ship,” Bastian pointed out, and Finn sighed as Iolo smiled crookedly.

 

“No, you were not,” Iolo agreed.

 

“Are you a god,” Finn questioned, concerned because this was not how he imagined his first encounter with a—family member would go.

 

“In a way,” Iolo shrugged carelessly.  “Your friend calls you ‘Finn.’  That’s not your name.”

 

Finn gulped but Bastian just heaved a sigh.  “I’m not going around calling him ‘Glorious Gift.’  People will think I’ve lost my mind.”

 

“Bas,” Finn hissed, and Bastian shirked back.

 

“What?  Clearly he already knows.”

 

“I suspected,” Iolo amended, eyes narrowed as he took a step closer to Finn.  “I’m glad to be proven correct, although it leads to a number of questions—not least of which is why you are traveling with a mortal bearing the mark of Allure, seeking out beasts of mal intent.”

 

Bastian and Finn blinked in unison, tilting their heads to the right.  “Okay, I didn’t understand any of that,” Bastian admitted, gathering his balance and getting to his feet shakily, keeping the cloak around him.  “Can you run that by me again?”

 

Iolo inhaled deeply, looking between the two blatantly confused friends.  “Come, follow me.  We will discuss this further,” he said primly.  Then, to Finn’s annoyance and Bastian’s surprise, he scooped Bastian into his arms and began carrying him towards the foot of the white stone cliff.

 

“I could’ve carried him,” Finn muttered, falling into step next to him.

 

“With the strength of Zeus, I should hope so,” Iolo shot back blandly, looking bored.

 

“Or you can both cut the territorial bull act and let me walk,” Bastian interjected loudly, crossing his arms under the cloak and making no move to free himself.  He ignored the comradely look Finn and Iolo shared, swinging his feet back and forth where they hung over Iolo’s arm.

 

“You knew about me, before,” Finn questioned as he followed the guardian into an alcove cut in the cliff face.  Inside was pleasantly cool, sunlight shining through an opening above the entrance, and sparsely decorated with just a small trunk and a thin mattress laid out against the far wall.  Iolo didn’t pause as he strolled inside and placed Bastian down on the mattress.  Finn smirked as Bastian made a face of irritation, sitting up and scooting back to sit with his back to the wall, observing the two standing gods.

 

“I did.  I knew you, before you were taken in by a mortal,” Iolo responded, and Finn’ and Bastian’s jaws dropped.  “I do not know how much you remember, but--,”

 

“I don’t remember anything,” Finn scowled.  “But I was hidden away in Poseidon’s court, right?  That’s what Rey told me.”

 

“Ah.  The Scarlet Seer,” Iolo murmured, shooting a worried look at Finn.  “She spoke true, but you should have caution.  Her visions are often two-fold.”

 

“Yeah, we’ve caught on to that too,” Bastian grumbled.

 

“What else did she disclose,” Iolo asked, crossing to the trunk and Finn pivoted instinctively keeping the other in his field of vision.

 

“She—nothing much,” Finn stammered, casting a quick glance at Bastian, who frowned back.  “Just that someone stole me, and I have to become a hero if I want to return to Olympus.”

 

“I see,” Iolo nodded, lifting the lid of the trunk and reaching inside.  “And I assume luring and killing the Cetus was part of your quest?”

 

“It was mostly practice,” Bastian explained, and Finn winced at how fast Iolo’s head snapped around to stare at the man on the mattress.  “We hadn’t taken on a sea monster in a while, and apparently that Cetus was munching on sailors so much that Ithaca hasn’t been sending out any ships for the past month.  Seemed like a good opportunity.”

 

“Are you in earnest,” Iolo gawked.  “You’re not, surely.  You wouldn’t—you know better than to tempt fate like that _for practice_.”

 

“Relax, this wasn’t our first time out,” Bastian shrugged, smiling.  “We started off with nymphs and satyrs, you know, but then centaurs and harpies started showing up--,”

 

“I’m not surprised,” Iolo interrupted, glaring over his shoulder at Finn, who shrugged back in incomprehension.  “The son of Zeus traipsing around with an Alluring mortal--,”

 

“What does that even mean,” Finn asked, hands on his hips.

 

“I’m flattered, don’t get me wrong,” Bastian allowed lightly, “but I don’t think I’m all that tempting or alluring or whatever you seem to think.”

 

“No, I don’t mean—you are, but that is not what I meant,” Iolo shook his head, dropping the lid of the trunk with a bang and then sitting, gaze drifting between Finn and a slightly flustered Bastian, scrutinizing.  “The Allure calls to us—non-mortals.  We sense it, and we seek the source.”

 

“But what _is_ it,” Bastian whined, and Iolo smiled softly across to him, leaving Finn feeling slightly ignored.

 

“It is an aura that very few are born with.  Tell me, do you have a history of attracting non-mortal beings to you?”

 

“You mean, besides Finn,” Bastian joked, smiling up at his friend as the taller man moved to lean against the wall beside him.  “Not really, but I never really left Pella,” he continued thoughtfully.  “My parents were killed by a sphinx--,”

 

“ _What_ ,” Finn blurted out, alarmed.

 

“—and there was that time with some dryads when I was five--,”

 

“I believe that is a ‘yes,’” Iolo mentioned, almost teasing, and Finn’s eyes narrowed.  “Fortune smiled when she set you in the Gift’s path.”

 

“Finn,” Bastian and Finn corrected in unison.

 

“My mistake,” Iolo murmured, bowing his head.  Bastian looked up at Finn, unsure, but Finn just shrugged and shook his head.  He didn’t know what to make of the immortal either.  “Tell me, _Finn_ , am I the first immortal to have the pleasure of your acquaintance?”

 

“Wait, do you seriously talk like that all the time,” Bastian blurted out, and Finn reached down to cover his friend’s mouth with his hand, even though Iolo looked more pleased at Bastian’s attention than anything else.

 

“Yeah, weirdly enough running into a god in the wilderness is harder to do than we were led to believe,” Finn explained with a small grimace.

 

Iolo nodded thoughtfully.  “You shouldn’t believe all the stories you read on the crockery.  But in that case,” he went on, pushing himself to his feet, “there are one or two matters I must attend to.  You both will be safe here until I return.”

 

“You _are_ kidnapping us,” Finn pointed out, flicking Bastian’s nose with his thumb as his friend licked his palm in a bid to be released.

 

“Hardly,” Iolo countered flatly.  “I am merely asking you to be my guests for a night.  If you wish to decline, I suggest you swim west.”  With that, the air around the immortal began to glimmer and his form blurred.  “Remember, the mortal will need to rest.”

 

“I have a name, and it’s not ‘the mortal,’” Bastian snapped, pushing Finn’s hand away.  Iolo’s surprised expression was the last to fade away, leaving the two friends alone in the small cave.  “He’s weird.”

 

“Yeah, I don’t know about him,” Finn agreed, mostly to himself as he continued to stare at the spot the immortal had been.

 

“He left his robe,” Bastian mumbled as he tucked the fabric up to his chin and sniffing.  Out of the corner of his eye, Finn could’ve sworn he saw his friend rub his cheek against the white cloth.  “Do you think all the gods talk like that?  Saying really obvious things like they’re important?  The sky,” Bastian drawled slowly, pausing for beat, “is blue…today.”

 

Finn chuckled, lowering himself to sit on the bedroll, crossing his ankles.  “The sun…is warm,” he said dramatically.

 

“The rocks…are hard,” Bastian nodded seriously before snorting, face breaking into a bright smile.  “It’s going to drive you crazy when you get back to Olympus.”

 

“Well, it can’t all be ambrosia and nectar,” Finn shrugged, bumping his shoulder against Bastian’s.  “Really, I’m sorry about earlier.  I waited too long and--,”

 

“I was fine,” Bastian rolled his eyes.  “Don’t listen to the guardian guy.  I had everything under control.”

 

“Okay,” Finn smiled, even though he had a feeling the other man wasn’t being completely honest.  “So, you’re alluring.”

 

“Who knew, right,” Bastian grinned.  “Am I irresistible to you?  Can’t stand when we’re apart,” he joked.

 

“Leave me alone for a second and I’ll find out,” Finn quipped back, and Bastian winked, nuzzling his side against Finn’s arm.  “What do you want to do while we wait for our not-a-kidnapper to get back?  Or we could leave—that’ll show him.”

 

“I’m pretty sure he’d just come and find us,” Bastian said, sounding a tad too hopeful about the idea for Finn’s tastes.  “Wanna check out what’s in there,” he asked, jerking his chin to the simple, unadorned wooden chest.

 

“Everything in me tells me not to touch that chest,” Finn stated with certainty.

 

“Boring,” Bastian mumbled, and Finn flicked his friend’s ear with enough force to send the smaller teen collapsing onto the mattress.

 

“Ever heard of Pandora?”

 

“Ever heard of healthy curiosity?”

 

“No, Bas.”

 

“Fine, what do _you_ want to do, Glorious Gift?”   

 

*****

 

“You surprise me; I thought there was no chance of finding you here upon my return.”

 

“Yeah, well, it was about fifty-fifty odds there for a while,” Finn said, poking at the dying embers of the small fire he and Bastian had built just outside the cave.  Rosy fingers of dawn were creeping along the horizon and Bastian was sleeping inside as Iolo glistened into form against the water’s edge.  “But we caught dinner and then Bas was tired so,” Finn finished with a shrug, watching as Iolo glanced at the skeletal remains of the salmon that was slowly being washed away by the waves.  “I hope that wasn’t your pet or friend or something.”

 

“No, I am partial to a certain dolphin, but I tend to keep a healthy distance from the average sea dweller.  Their lives are so short,” Iolo mentioned, emotionlessly, and Finn’s jaw dropped.

 

“You’re kinda morbid, aren’t you,” Finn marveled while Iolo took a seat beside him on the cool, damp sand.

 

“It has not been mentioned to me before,” Iolo stated, seeming to mull over Finn’s words as he watched the small crackles of flames.  “Your—friend…he is well?”

 

“Bastian,” Finn emphasized in a hard tone.  “And yeah, he’s fine.  He’s a lot tougher than you think he is.”

 

“I’m not certain that’s possible,” Iolo mused quietly, and Finn clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth, not liking where this was going.

 

“I’m not leaving here without Bas,” Finn said pointedly, watching the immortal’s profile until Iolo turned to meet his eye.

 

“I gathered as much, if I’m being honest.”

 

“I don’t care if you’re drunk on his Allure or whatever,” Finn continued.  “I’ve seen enough nymphs and dryads and satyrs try to take him for themselves.  I’ve fought all of them off, and I’ll do the same to you—immortal or not.”

 

Iolo blinked at Finn, running his eyes along the lines of the would-be hero lazily.  “You’ll forgive me if I say I don’t find that much of a threat.  You barely managed the Cetus without _Bastian’s_ aid.”

 

“Shut up,” Finn scowled.  “I knew what I was doing!”

 

“Indeed?  You had an interesting way of showing it,” Iolo drawled, unimpressed.  “But be that as it may,” he went on before Finn could retort, “you waste your breath.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“Tell me, did the Scarlet Seer reveal anything further to you,” Iolo asked, changing the subject much to Finn’s annoyance.

 

“You mean the titans,” Finn guessed, watching as Iolo’s expression turned dark, haunted.

 

“I see.  Why didn’t you say so before?”

 

“I,” Finn hesitated.  “Bastian doesn’t—I didn’t want to scare him.”

 

“Ah.  You are protecting him,” Iolo considered, leaning back, his weight pressed back onto his palms.  “That I can understand.  Even our relatives are…cautious on the matter.”

 

“You mean,” Finn broke off, swallowing tightly and pointing up to the sky.  Iolo smiled lightly, inclining his head.  “You spoke to them?  About me?”

 

“I did.  While they wish you well in your endeavors…the prophecy fills them with concern, as it did when you were born.”

 

“But I don’t want to bring the titans back,” Finn protested, unnecessarily he felt.

 

“Only a fool would, and despite some of your shortcomings, a fool you do not appear to be.”

 

“Yeah, it doesn’t matter how you say it, I still hear you insulting me,” Finn pointed out blandly.

 

Iolo smirked.  “I do not mean it cruelly.”

 

“You’re insulting me out of kindness,” Finn asked, cocking one of his eyebrows, and Iolo shrugged somewhat sheepishly.  “Whatever.  So, the gods…don’t like me?”

 

“They love you more than words can say,” Iolo countered easily, as if it were obvious.  “But prophecy scares them, makes them overly careful.”  Iolo shot Finn a weighted look before continuing.  “Their orders are clear: you must fulfill your quest without our aid.  We cannot assist the rise of the titans in any way.”

 

Even if Finn could have guessed, maybe had already accepted the fact, it stung to hear it.  “That’s…well, whatever.  Who needs the gods’ help anyway?  I’ve gotten this far without any of you.”

 

“Regarding that,” Iolo hedged, and Finn’s head snapped in his direction.  “While I cannot support you _directly_ , your current…strategy is unacceptable.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“The physical risks you subject Bastian to are—intolerable.  I will not stand by and allow you to continue on that course,” Iolo declared decisively. 

 

Finn blinked, bemused.  “That…sounds like more than the Allure talking.”

 

Iolo sighed, massaging his fingertips against his temples.  “I have been in the presence of Alluring mortals before.  It is all-consuming and maddening, gnawing away at your self-control.”

 

“Zeus on high,” Finn breathed, brow furrowing.  “ _That’s_ what it feels like around Bas?”

 

“No,” Iolo ground out between clenched teeth.  “It feels so much better, and I don’t understand it.  If it was only his Allure, it would be simple,” he told Finn earnestly, much to Finn’s surprise.  “Once I left here, it should have faded.  I should have forgotten all about him, like dream you can’t quite remember.  I should have been _fine_.”

 

Finn squinted across at the immortal, but couldn’t see anything besides honesty and confusion in his expression.  “Gods and goddesses,” he said slowly.  “You’re serious.”

 

“I _couldn’t_ ,” Iolo hissed, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes.  “I was on Olympus, speaking to Hera, to Zeus, and all I could think about was whether Bastian was well, was warm, was _safe_.  It doesn’t make any sense,” he growled to himself, and Finn cast his eyes skyward.

 

“Yeah, whatever could it be,” he drawled sarcastically, ignoring the glare Iolo sent his way.  “I guess my speech earlier was kinda…excessive.”

 

“Fighting me to keep Bastian safe is more or less exactly what I have in mind.”

 

“Uh, what,” Finn inquired blankly.

 

“I cannot help you on your quest,” Iolo repeated.  “But I will try to instill in you the skills to keep Bastian alive through it.”

 

“Oh.”  Finn watched as Iolo stood gracefully.  “I don’t really need _training_ or—holy Hades!”

 

“On your feet,” Iolo said mercilessly, the tip of the blade he pulled out of thin air just scratching Finn’s adam’s apple.  “And prove it.”

 

Hours later when Bastian emerged from the cave, Iolo’s cloak wrapped around his shoulders and arms, he blinked against the sunlight, wondering if he was still dreaming as Finn swung his sword around to block Iolo’s own blade.  Iolo, looking bored, shifted his weight and drove his foot into Finn’s chest, throwing the younger immortal back.  Finn hit the side of the cliff with a grunt, a few chips of rock clattering down at the collision.  Unperturbed, Bastian padded over as Finn panted, shaking his head to clear it while Iolo waited.

 

“Couldn’t agree on breakfast,” Bastian asked lightly.

 

“Go ask him for food,” Finn huffed, catching his breath, hands on his knees.  “He’ll probably pull a banquet out of the mist for you.”

 

Bastian shrugged, not fully understanding the comment but going along with it as he walked over to the blond immortal, who had his eyes trained on him intensely.  Bastian’s steps faltered at the scrutiny, and he gulped nervously.  “Um, thanks for…the cloak.”

 

“Of course, I—I’m glad it served its purpose,” Iolo stated lamely, and over Bastian’s shoulder he saw Finn smack himself in the face.  “Did you sleep well?”

 

“Yeah,” Bastian answered, glancing around and not meeting Iolo’s gaze.  “Um, so, what’s the verdict on…everything?”

 

“I—I don’t understand,” Iolo stammered, his cheeks warming to a pale pink as Finn looked on amused.

 

“We’re going to stay here a little longer,” Finn announced, sparing everyone from the growing awkwardness.  “If you don’t mind.”

 

“Okay,” Bastian agreed, eyes wide, as Iolo said,

 

“Excellent,” breathlessly.

 

“Oh, this’ll be fun,” Finn muttered to himself as Bastian drifted a little closer to Iolo, who looked like he was torn between grabbing him or running away.  “Very, very fun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell this was my escape for the past week? ;)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the story! Thank you thank you to all the readers who left a comment or kudos on the last chapter. You are all marvelous and kind :)
> 
> Up next: heading to Thebes and meeting Poe


	5. A Funny Thing Happened on the Road to Thebes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who's ready for Poe to join the party? :D

_**One Month Later**_

 

“Remember: stay along the coast.  I cannot aid you if you stray from the sea,” Iolo warned for the hundredth time.

 

“I know, I know,” Bastian huffed, hefting his satchel higher over his shoulder.  “You’ve only been reminding us every other breath.  And I thought you couldn’t help Finn anyway.”

 

Finn caught Iolo’s wide-eyed look of panic with a bored look of his own.  It had been annoying how fast ‘isn’t it funny that those two are caught in each other’s orbit and have no idea’ to ‘isn’t it sad that those two are complete idiots.’  “He’s talking to you,” Finn told his friend flatly, who had the audacity to look shocked at the news.  “He’s _always_ talking to you.”

 

“He told you to jump off a cliff two days ago,” Bastian pointed out, hands on his hips, and Iolo smirked at the memory behind the shorter teen.

 

“Okay, well, when he’s saying _nice_ things, he’s talking to you,” Finn corrected with a roll of his eyes before fixing the blonde immortal with an expectant look.  “Well?  Get on with it,” he pressed as Bastian turned his head slowly, looking between the two on either side of him.

 

“I—that is, I should say,” Iolo stammered, nervousness oozing from him and Finn frowned tightly.

 

“Bas, are you sure you packed the map,” Finn asked.

 

“Of course I did,” Bastian stated indignantly, dropping his bag to his feet in the sand.  “You’re always acting like I’m the forgetful one when you’d forget which sandal goes where if I wasn’t…”

 

Finn jerked his head to the coastline as Bastian trailed off, unpacking his things and piling his newly acquired collection of cloaks and blankets beside him, and Iolo nodded stiffly in acceptance, the two immortals falling into step, walking to meet the gently lapping waves.  “If you don’t talk to him, I swear to Hermes I will,” Finn threatened without preamble.

 

Iolo’s jaw clenched.  “And tell him what, if the Glorious Gift will enlighten me?”

 

Finn twisted his lip mockingly, crossing his arms.  “Oh I don’t know.  What about how you think his eyes are like stars or his voice like lyre or his laugh like rain on the sand or--,”

 

“Are you quite through,” Iolo hissed, eyes trained on the young teenager, who was now shaking his empty pack over his head with furrowed brow.

 

“No, I’ve got about twenty minutes more,” Finn countered blandly.  “And that’s only the stuff I remember because once you get rambling my mind starts wandering.”

 

“Charming,” Iolo sneered, which Finn responded to with one of his own.  After a moment of stand-off between the two, Bastian approached them, dejected.

 

“I don’t have it,” he admitted to his toes, and Iolo quickly came to his defense.

 

“I distinctly recall _you_ packing the article in question,” Iolo stated to his pupil with a slight glare.

 

“Really,” Finn replied breezily, patting Bastian between the shoulders with enough strength to send the smaller one stumbling into the blonde immortal’s side, Iolo’s arm instantly coming to wrap around him.  “Sorry, Bas, I must’ve forgotten.  I’ll go check real quick.  Over here.  By myself,” he added forcefully before turning on his heel and marching away, not looking back at the clueless pair.

 

“Well, he’s getting stranger, isn’t he,” Bastian asked lightly, glancing up with an amused smile that left Iolo blinking.  “You’re probably ready for us to get out of your hair, right?”

 

“No, of course not,” Iolo shook his head.  “Quite the opposite, I assure you.”

 

“You sure?  Because you kinda kicked Finn two leagues into the sea the other day.”

 

“If he had been paying the proper attention, he would not have had to suffer that infliction,” Iolo responded, unfeeling, and Bastian blinked, puzzled.

 

“You don’t really like Finn, do you?”

 

“I find he’s a great deal more trouble than anticipated,” Iolo muttered darkly before backtracking quickly at Bastian’s disapproving look, “but he has a good heart and a good head, when he cares to use it.”

 

Bastian snorted but nodded.  “Yeah, he’s stubborn but he’s the best,” he said as if it was so obvious it wasn’t worth saying.

 

Iolo considered the young man next to him, who he’d only known for a short time but was already surprising him with resourcefulness, tenacity, and ability to smile with ease.  “I’m not entirely certain I can agree with that,” he replied delicately, thumb resting above Bastian’s hipbone beginning to trace small circles into the age-softened fabric of the teen’s tunic.

 

“Well, you hang out with _gods_ ,” Bastian dismissed easily with a shrug, gaze shifting out to the sea in the vague direction of Iolo’s hidden island.  “Nothing impresses you.”

 

“I can assure you that’s not true.  In fact, I remember being very impressed recently when I was struck in the face amid a rescue,” Iolo mentioned, not prepared for Bastian to burst out laughing, bending forward with his arms around his waist and his forehead bumping into Iolo’s chest.  “Oh.  Um,” Iolo blushed, uncertain.  Cautiously, slowly, he brought his other hand up, letting it hover just above before settling the appendage on the base of Bastian’s head, brushing the fine hairs there.

 

“You need to get out more,” Bastian gasped out, rubbing the few tears of mirth that had squeezed out of his eyes with a fist but making no move to leave the loose embrace, “if that’s all it takes to surprise you.”

 

“I anticipate there will be more excitement in my future,” Iolo hinted obliquely, and Bastian looked up for an explanation.  “Tell me, would you—permit me to offer you a small token,” Iolo blurted out before he lost his nerve.

 

“I mean, you’ve already given me enough blankets I could open a shop,” Bastian joked, nodding over to his bag, which was being repacked by Finn, not that either being lapped by the waves noticed.

 

“Those are necessary,” Iolo said quickly but firmly, and Bastian found himself nodding along.  “I don’t—does that mean…yes?”

 

“What?  Oh, the—yeah, sure, thank you,” Bastian stumbled.

 

“I have not given it to you yet,” Iolo said, confused, still holding the smaller man in his arms.

 

“I’m not really used to getting presents,” Bastian answered honestly.  “I guess I’m just thanking you for wanting to give me something.”

 

“I—I don’t know what to say,” Iolo swallowed, glancing over Bastian’s head to where Finn was pointing at the sun in an obvious show that time was wasting.  Clearing his throat, Iolo went on, “Um, here.  For you.”

 

Bastian watched as Iolo twisted his left hand in the air, as if unlocking a door, and suddenly something round and smooth was being pressed into his hand.  It was a spiral shell, a shocking shade of violet, small enough for Bastian to easily palm it, with a tie of leather fastened through a small neatly drilled hole.  “Wow,” he breathed, turning it over, tracing his finger around the largest of the spirals.  “It’s beautiful.”

 

“It will do,” Iolo allowed, taking a small step closer and pinching the two ends of the twisted strand of leather between his thumbs and index fingers.  “May I?”  Bastian nodded, for possibly the first time in his life left speechless.  Iolo exhaled in relief, drawing the ends around Bastian’s neck, hyperaware of how his Adam’s apple jumped as Iolo leaned in to knot the tie against the knap of the young man’s neck.  “There,” he smiled, satisfied, letting himself stay a moment longer, holding the knot and narrowing his eyes until the leather glowed faintly before fading.

 

“What was that,” Bastian asked quietly, feeling a wash of warmth and not entirely certain it was just the normal feelings from having the blonde immortal so close.

 

“Just a small enchantment,” Iolo assured with a small smile, resting his hand against the side of Bastian’s neck, feeling the flutter of his heartbeat.  “If you are in trouble, you can call to me.”

 

“Only if I’m in trouble?”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

Bastian toyed with the purple mollusk shell, smiling with shy playfulness.  “Will the spell only work if I’m in danger?  Or can I call to you—other times too?”

 

Iolo mulled the questions over in his mind before his eyes widened in surprise.  “Um, oh, no—no, it isn’t…the incantation is not situationally dependent.”

 

Bastian frowned.  “You really do speak oddly.”

 

“Can we hurry this along a bit,” Finn finally interjected with exasperation.  He wanted Bastian to be happy, but there were limits.

 

Bastian sprang back in surprise, much to Iolo’s obvious displeasure, but Finn didn’t wilt under the other immortal’s glower.  “What impeccable sense of propriety you have,” Iolo growled through clenched teeth.

 

“We have to get to Thebes, and you refused to drop us off closer,” Finn countered frankly.

 

“If you intend to keep your identity a secret, having me deliver you from the waves in the harbor might be a tad conspicuous.”

 

“Come on, don’t start up now,” Bastian whined with a slight pout.  “Can’t you two just say goodbye like normal people—or immortals or whatever?”

 

The two immortals eyed each other skeptically before Iolo stepped forward stiffly, placing a hand on Finn’s shoulder and knocking their foreheads together.  “Play to your strengths and for Hera’s sake, use your head.”

 

Bemused, Finn bumped his forehead back against Iolo’s.  “Alright.  Try not to worry too much.  I’ll keep an eye on him.”

 

“How about keeping both eyes on him,” Iolo suggested seriously, glancing over his shoulder.  “Poseidon save me, why’d he go _now_?”

 

“Relax, oh dramatic one,” came Bastian’s voice, now behind Finn.  “I only went ten steps away!”

 

“I’m going to put bells on your ankles,” Finn threatened idly, rolling his eyes as Bastian stuck his tongue out.

 

“Here,” Bastian said, holding out his upturned hand to Iolo, who stared down at the small brown lump being offered to him.  “It’s an acorn.  From Pella.  It’s not pretty or anything, but it reminds me of home and I thought…maybe it could remind you of me…”

 

“A little nut?  Sounds about right to me,” Finn teased, tossing an arm around his friend’s shoulders while Iolo continued to state in silence.  “Well, Iolo?  What do you think?”

 

“I shall treasure it,” Iolo managed, voice thick as he took the small acorn into his hands.  He shifted his eyes full of wonder to Bastian, who gulped, and Finn stepped in.

 

“Great!  You have a nice shell, you have an acorn, I found the map.  We won’t make it to Thebes today, but we have enough blankets to pitch five camps.  Come along, Bas, and don’t be a stranger, Iolo.”

 

Iolo watched as Finn pulled Bastian away by the collar of his chiton.  Bastian waved with a wide smile as Finn paused long enough to pick up their baggage before turning his friend around and urging him onward.  Iolo stood, planted to the spot until the two figures had vanished out of sight into the woods beyond the shore.  Distantly, he heard echoes of shouts of distress across the sea, in the vicinity of Cyprus if he wasn’t mistaken, and for the first time in his existence Iolo considered not answering.  But, tucking the small acorn into the vapors, he exhaled and closed his eyes, easing himself into the breeze to fulfill his purpose.

 

** _Few Hours Later_ **

 

“…and, as I said, it’s very low risk,” Poe wheedled, inspecting his finger nails carelessly.  “What do you say?”

 

Nessus crossed his arms and shifted his weight from his forehooves to his back legs, brow creased in thought.  “I don’t know,” the centaur drew out, squinting at the man standing on the boulder in the river.  “Drawing the ire of Zeus never bodes well.”

 

Poe smiled charmingly up at the tall, tan-hided centaur.  “Now, Nessus, would I lead you wrong?”

 

“I don’t know,” Nessus answered honestly, stomping his hooves in the water, a sudden antsy feeling washing over him.

 

“Well, I wouldn’t,” Poe stated, holding out his arms in a show of innocence.  “In fact, Nessus, I really like you.  That’s why I knew I had to come to you first.”

 

“You said you spoke to Aello the Harpy,” Nessus pointed out, raising his head to sniff the air.

 

“We happened to bump into each other as I hurried here,” Poe soothed easily.  “And really, if you think about it, you wouldn’t be going against his holy thunder-ness at all.”

 

“No,” Nessus asked, distracted by the sweet, intoxicating scent drifting on the gentle breeze.

 

“Absolutely not,” Poe reassured, smile firmly in place.  “In fact, you would be helping him and helping yourself by simply—are you even listening to me?”

 

“What is that,” Nessus wondered to himself, turning around and discovering the smell was stronger from the west, towards the edge of the forest.  “I want it.”

 

“We’re kind of in the middle of something here,” Poe pointed out with a hint of annoyance as the centaur began to clomp away.  “Wait!  Hold on,” Poe shouted, leaping from his rock to grab onto Nessus’ tail and climb up to his back.  “If I could just have your word--,”

 

“Where is it,” Nessus muttered, focus entirely on finding the source, head whipping back and forth, searching the riverbanks.  “ _Where is it_?”

 

“Look, how about this,” Poe panted, scrambling up to stand on the centaur’s shoulder, holding on to his mane of light brown hair to keep his balance.  “You give me your word that when the time comes you’ll stand on our side, and I’ll find you whatever it is--,”

 

“Him,” Nessus breathed, a wide grin spreading over his face, and Poe squinted, taking in the small, unexceptional young man kneeling at the river’s edge and washing his face.

 

Poe glanced between the slightly crazed looking centaur and the figure now shaking out his stiff curls, the droplets of water catching the setting sunlight like small sparks.  “Oh-kay,” he drew out.  “Tell you what, I can see you’re busy, Nessus.  Just give me your word and I’ll—whoa!”

 

“Mine,” Nessus growled, breaking into a canter.  The teenager on the bank looked up at the commotion, and Poe, holding on to Nessus’ hair for dear life, got the distinct impression that the young man looked almost bored.

 

“Move,” Poe shouted, mostly giving up on his chances of winning Nessus over and figuring he might as well give the child a shot at life.  The young man started to scuttle backwards, eyes still fixed on the giant horse-man barreling down on him, but it was a wasted effort as Nessus scooped him up, his fist closing around the teen’s waist.

 

“I’m warning you,” the young man huffed, trying to push himself out of the centaur’s grip, “this doesn’t end well for you.”

 

“Mine,” the usually eloquent centaur repeated, his grin taking on a manic edge.

 

The young man rolled his eyes, tossing his damp hair out of his face and shifting his attention to Poe.  “Do you need a rescue?”

 

“Uh,” Poe blinked.  “You know what, I’m alright.  You might be in for it,” he mentioned, wondering if he could slip away while Nessus was distracted.  Although, truth be told, Nessus was so focused Poe could probably leave with fanfare and not be noticed.

 

“Give it a minute,” the young man said, unperturbed as he tried to wiggle free again.  “I’m Bastian.”

 

“That’s nice,” Poe commented blandly, not bothering to offer any information in exchange.  “And if you think you’re going to escape, you haven’t had much experience with an interested centaur.”

 

Bastian leaned back as Nessus thrust his head forward, nose to Bastian’s face and inhaling deeply.  “You’ll see,” he informed Poe, who was now dangling in the air by his grip on the centaur’s hair.

 

Poe was about to reply that he wasn’t sticking around to see _anything_ , when a loud cry of “in the name of Hades” rang out from the shore, and Poe turned to the best of his ability to look over his shoulder at a tall, muscular, angry man glaring at the scene.

 

“I can’t leave you alone for five seconds,” Finn shouted, hands on his hips.

 

Bastian grimaced as Nessus licked his lips in anticipation.  “Yell later,” he shouted back.  “I don’t have my dagger!”

 

Finn briefly considered running back to their camp to get his sword or bow, but then he noticed the centaur had a second hostage.  Nothing for it then.  Finn took a few steps back, digging his toes into the mossy ground.  “Number thirty-two,” he called to Bastian before telling the stranger in an orange-dyed chiton, “on my mark.”

 

Poe frowned, shaking his head in complete befuddlement, and then Finn was running flat out, jumping onto a rock peaking from the water with both feet before launching himself into the air.  “Holy Hera,” Poe breathed as he watched Finn fly into the air, almost above the trees before he came hurling back to the river, feet first.

 

“Dive,” Bastian shouted at Poe, who barely had time to let go of Nessus’ mane as Finn rammed into the centaur’s upturned face.  Poe fell into the river, his back smacking against the water before he sunk down.  He opened his eyes and swam for the shore, bobbing up to breathe as Bastian dove into the water with all the grace of a dolphin, and Poe almost hated him for it.

 

As soon as he hit the riverbank, Poe got to his feet, shaking out his hair and watching as the strange flying man in white clothe and brown leather light armor jumped off Nessus’ crumpled form, using his momentum to launch himself off the trunk of a tree and back towards the centaur, who was getting to his feet only to be met with a fist to his neck.

 

“Who in Hades is that guy,” Poe mumbled to himself, as Nessus was blasted backwards into the woods, not rising as Finn tucked his legs to his chest and dropped into the river with a laugh.

 

“That’s Finn,” Bastian answered, wringing out his chiton, completely at ease.  “He’s going to be a hero.”

 

“Uh huh,” Poe muttered as Finn surfaced, plodding his way to the shore, nodding his head to the side to try and get the water out of his ears.

 

“Bas, I’m seriously considering leashing you at night,” Finn declared hotly, glaring at his friend.  “How did that even happen?!”

 

“He came out of nowhere,” Bastian retorted, defending himself.  “It’s not my fault I smell nice or whatever.”

 

“Ah,” Poe exhaled, nodding to himself.  “I should’ve guessed.”

 

Finn, suddenly remembering he and Bastian weren’t alone, spun on his heel but any words died on his lips as he finally took in the sharp brown eyes, thick black hair, and faint shadow of facial hair.  “Hi,” Finn blurted out lamely.

 

“Hello,” Poe answered, barely restraining a smirk as an all-too familiar look came over Finn’s face.  Like catching fish in a barrel sometimes, Poe thought to himself before focusing on a niggling idea that had crept into his mind.  “That was quite a performance,” he went on, nodding at the prone centaur across the river.

 

Finn felt his cheeks warm to a flush, not used to being praised for that sort of thing.  In fact, he half expected Luke to appear out of nowhere and scold him for fighting.  “Oh, it—it’s nothing.  Happy to help.  Are you okay?”

 

Poe snorted, running a hand along his jaw.  “Yeah, buddy, I’m swell.  You’re stronger than you look, aren’t you?”

 

“What does that mean,” Bastian asked, insulted on his friend’s behalf but the others took no notice.

 

“Well, uh, I guess,” Finn shrugged awkwardly.  “I’ve always been kinda strong.”

 

“Really,” Poe said, cocking an eyebrow.  “That’s quite a _gift_.”

 

“Uh, Finn,” Bastian started, not quite liking how the other man’s smile had gone stiff.

 

“Something tells me you’re not from around here,” Poe went on blithely.

 

“How can you tell that,” Bastian asked and was ignored.

 

“Uh, we—we traveled from up north,” Finn answered, trying to look dignified while dripping wet.

 

“Whereabouts?  I traveled around up there a lot,” Poe explained, moving to lean against a tree in an open, friendly manner.

 

“You probably haven’t heard of it,” Finn winced.  “Pella is a small town.”

 

“Pella,” Poe repeated, eyes traveling along Finn’s form.  “How funny.  I was there once, about seventeen years ago.  Probably before you were born,” he said leadingly.

 

“No, I was born,” Finn replied, taking the bait.  “My eighteenth birthday is in a few months.”

 

“Happy early birthday,” Poe said, mind racing.  “Well, I should be getting along.”

 

“Wait,” Finn held out his hand and Poe paused.  “Are you traveling alone?  Because if you are, that’s not safe and you can stay with us.  We’re heading for Thebes if--,”

 

“That’s sweet, buddy,” Poe simpered, almost enjoying the blatant concern on Finn’s open face.  “But I’m a big boy, tie my own sandals and everything.  I’m meeting up with someone,” he added when Finn still looked hesitant.

 

“I’m not sure,” Finn began before his hand was grabbed and tugged.

 

“You heard him, Finn,” Bastian said, giving his friend a pointed look.  “He has other plans.  And we should go before the centaur wakes up.”

 

“Oh, yeah,” Finn blinked down at Bastian before glancing back to where Poe was moseying away.  “Maybe we’ll see you around, um…”

 

“Poe.  And maybe we will,” he called over his shoulder.  Poe heard the two friends murmuring to each other as he strolled away, careful to keep his pace even until he was well out of earshot before he broke into a run.

 

“Who lit your tail on fire?”

 

Poe doubled back, stopping in front of the tall, dark-haired man, enrobed in black and leaning against a large rock, slicing off slivers of an apple with a large knife.  “Remember that _little problem_ we thought was hidden in Pella,” Poe snapped.

 

Kylo glanced up, stabbing his knife into the core of the apple before taking a bite.  “What about it?”

 

“He’s not in Pella anymore.  He’s not clueless anymore.  And he’s not going to be a pushover anymore,” Poe listed off, his voice slightly hysterical.

 

Kylo blinked slowly, swallowing his bite as his eyes flashed red.  “Damn it,” he hissed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally feel like this story is picking up speed. It's been so much fun to write the dialogues in this that I almost forget there's a plot I need to get a jump on :)
> 
> As always, you are all absolutely phenomenal readers! Thank you thank you to each and every one of you who have left a comment or kudos or just read the chapter and enjoyed it :)

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the little prequel/sneak peek/first chapter!
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are welcomed and cherished. I aim to reply to every comment because I honestly appreciate every one.
> 
> I try to update weekly, give or take, but I don't leave works unfinished so there's that :)


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